Arden Heights man accused in 15-car break-in spree

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- An Arden Heights man went on a 15-car break-in spree over the past three weeks, capping it off by trying to clobber the Huguenot car-owner who caught him in the act with a crowbar, police allege.

Brian Moss, 33, of the 1,700 block of Arthur Kill Road, committed the bulk of his spree between May 5 and 7, bashing the windows of 13 cars in the Hampton Green, Forest Green and Arden Avenue area, police allege. He stole GPS devices, MP3 players, credit cards, IDs, and, in one case, an E-ZPass device, according to court papers.

On Sunday night, he struck on Hawley Avenue in Huguenot, breaking into two cars before an owner heard the smashing of glass and went to investigate.

Moss approached the man with a crowbar in his hand and started swinging, but never made contact, police allege.

A responding police officer later found the crowbar on the ground, and a pair of pliers discarded in one of the broken-into vehicles, court papers allege.

When police arrested Moss, he made statements linking himself to the earlier spree, authorities said.

He’s charged with first- and second-degree auto stripping, 15 counts each of fourth-degree criminal mischief and unauthorized use of a vehicle, two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, five counts of petit larceny, and single counts of attempted second-degree assault, possession of burglar’s tools and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, according to Peter N. Spencer, a spokesman for District Attorney Daniel Donovan.